LEHI RODEO!!!

What a fun tradition we started with our neighbors 4 years ago!! Every year we have gone to the Lehi Rodeo with some great and really fun frends, The Housleys, LeRoys, and Schenks (In the years past we have had other families come too but these seem to be the staples)! It is such a fun way to kick off the 4th of July season and celebrate the country and summer and friends and BBQ's! It is something I look forward to each year! At the rodeo this year, most of the cattle and steer and even bulls seem to overcome the cowboys, but still really fun to watch. Every year they have motocross riders come and do these awesome and heart stopping jumps and tricks, which is always a favorite for me and the kids! Speaking of the kids... So FuN to watch them with their friends! Especially Mason, I don't think I heard from him all night. He just sat by his friends, played with his friends, cheered with his friends and had a great time. They are getting so big! Ella loved watching the horses and kept asking me when it was her turn to ride and of course danced when the music was on! She crashed though at the end during the bull riding, she must have been really tired! We left Claire at home with a babysitter, and Ryan was on his way to St. George with my brothers so they missed out this year! Too bad, hopefully we will seem them next year! What a great way to kick off the season... Next week its the Oakley Rodeo! (I think we have an inner "hick" trying to come out). Ride em cowboy!

Cutest little cowgirl!


Yvett and Michael Schenk (Sorry about the closed eyes and missing Cameron and Jordans pics)


Andrea, Brandon and Kate LeRoy


Jane, Braden, Mason, and Cole


Cameron, Jenny, Brooke, and Dane Housley


Me and Ella!

St George Summer Fun

I always look forward to this time of year for many reasons, one of them is that my mom and I take a week in the summer to go to St George and just play with the kids and hang out! For some reason it takes me getting out of my element to really be able to "play" with my kids for an extended period of time. When I am home I have a hard time letting go of mom duties, wife responsibilites, and household stuff and even on occasion I am just wanting to be selfish and be with me and my things. So when I play here with my kids it isn't quite the same as devoting a whole week to them. We had a jam packed week down there, the weather was beautiful, we had some over cast days, which made great days for park playing, hiking and sand dunes in Snow Canyon. and some really hot days for splash pads and backyard pools and squirt guns. Perfect! We hit 3 different splash pads, 2 parks, 2 hikes, sand playing, movie watching, shopping, playing in the backyard, getting lots of treats (Toblers cookies, shakes, icees etc...) Played tennis, soccer, and golf with Mason. We watched the bats at night, Ella played beauty shop with grandma's hair, Claire loved being outside, specially on the hikes and playing in the lazy river and splash pad water! She is my adventurer. Ella on the other hand was a "nervous ellie" while hiking. Scared of the echos, of Mason going too far ahead of us, of tall Mountains. That girl just needs to keep picking flowers and playing in the sand (her favs). I also loved just being able to chill with my mom, she is so easy going and my kids just adore her. I love being able to talk openly with her with no judgement or criticism, she always gives loving honest opinions and is on my side! Even at 32 I still need my mom more than ever! I have great kids and totally enjoyed them this week. They are so fun, and funny, loving, kind, and easy to be with (exhausting, but easy). What a treat it is to be a "fun" mom and enjoy them because now its back to laundry and kitchen cleaning... YUCK! Hopefully we made some good memories and I will do better at letting myself go more often at home! LOVE THOSE KIDS!!! The best part was all the hugs and kisses I got from them and them wanting to sit on my lap, and watching them play(and sometimes argue) together. They are hilarious to watch!
QUOTES: In the car at some point Ella got mad at me and said, "Mom...I love you but don't like you right now. Grandmas my best (friend) now, not you!" Where did she get that? I know I havn't said that before... crazy girl! Claire learned how to wave bye bye and do soooo big! Oh she is so cute! Her little personality is the greatest! So fun! Mason can talk a lot of trash but can not take it We played cards(idiot) every night and I only won once out of sooo many games so of course I let him have it a little and he quickly let me know of what a poor sport I am and not a good example!

My MaSoN iS SeVeN!

What! I know, He is really seven, officially a 2nd grader, and an awesome little boy! Why am I always in shock every time one of my kids have a birthday? I really can't believe another year has gone by and just how big and wonderful they get. My first born, there is something special about your first born... I guess thats its you get to grow up together. Good and bad, too. Poor kid gets the brunt of all my mistakes, whoops! But I could not have gotten any luckier, what a forgiving, kind hearted, ball of energy, too much fun, great big brother, intense, a great and loyal friend, and sweet heart of a little boy! Every year he gets better and better. He has a great birthday thus far... He was able to take 4 of his buddies to the Bees game last night, which was a lot of fun! We started off the night with Hotdogs, chips and watermelon, followed up by Boston Redsocks cupcakes and ice-cream sandwiches. What a great group of boys to take to a game. They played and played like only crazy boys can, flies up, catching homeruns, catch, wrestling, and rooting on our team. The game went into extra innings, which made for an extra late night, but everyone had a blast! (Parents included) There was also an awesome firework show afterwards too. Hopefully we made some great memories for them all! Tonight family gets to come over for more Redsocks cupcakes and root beer floats. Sounds fun to me! So on the present list this year... A LeBron James jersey, Pokemon cards, Redsocks shirt, Wii game, and Darren Williams wrist-bands! I can't believe my baby is 7! How lucky am I to have him in my life! and be his mom! Love ya Mas! HaPpY BiRtHdAY!
QUOTES OF THE WEEK: Just a reminder to all parents out there that there are little ears listening all the time... While at the game we were talking about having little brothers and sisters with the boys and one of the boys piped up and said, "My dad has been fixed." to which we asked (laughing of course), "How did you know that?" "I heard my dad say that once, I listen through the vents sometimes." What a crack up! Thank you Max Belshe!
And of course my favorite, "Thanks mom!! That was the best party ever!"


Ryan and the boys at the game!


Braden, BJ, Max, Mason, and Cade


Lebron James in the house!!


My family!! Man its getting big!


Darn trick candles get ya every time!